There’s nothing more Australian than getting caught in a traffic jam on the way to the beach so that’s what I did on my Australia Day. Forty-five minutes into the journey I swung the car around and headed for home. I dropped my wife at home, attached the board to the Mojo with the Carver surf racks, and fifteen minutes later I was at the beach.
There were almost tears of joy when I hit the water. (I’m not terribly patient you see.) Pity the surf wasn’t up to scratch. People down south often have the impression that Gold Coast beaches are over-crowded (as apposed to…say…Lorne beach in the middle of summer…) but I had any number of woeful breaks to myself. (Hopefully the banks will reform soon, please…)
After the surf I trolled the Gold Coast looking for free food. I got myself a Splice from the Splice girls and a Weis bar from the Weis bloke. A free drink to wash it down would have been nice.
All in all I was happy to be (happy to be) an Australian (with a bike). I cant think what madness made me get in the car on Australia Day. It wasn’t doing anyone any favors. Life was so easy and free on the bike. My favorite moment of the day however was while surfing. The lifeguard was reminding some swimmers about the dangers of the surf, and to stay inshore, not get out of depth etc, unless you were a strong swimmer. He had that semi-bored, I’m talking to naughty children kind of voice. When the blokes at the back of the field seemed to take no heed he told them, “Guys…dog paddle’s not strong swimming.”
